Taiwan proposes peace initiative to settle Tiaoyutai dispute

Taipei, Aug. 5 (CNA) President Ma Ying-jeou proposed a peace initiative Sunday to address territorial disputes over the Tiaoyutai Islands, urging neighboring countries to show restraint and to seek peaceful means to settle the issue.

Under what he called "the East China Sea Peace Initiative," Ma urged all parties to refrain from taking antagonistic actions, shelve controversies, observe international law and resolve disputes via peaceful means.

All sides should also seek consensus on a code of conduct in the East China Sea and establish a mechanism for cooperation on exploring resources in the region, the president told a ceremony marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Peace between the Republic of China and Japan.

He also reiterated Taiwan's sovereignty over the Tiaoyutais.

Taiwan, Japan and China have been involved in heated disputes due to competing territorial claims over the Tiaoyutai Islands located in a resource-rich region for several years.

The president's remarks also come at a time when Japan is moving toward nationalizing the Tiaoyutai, also known as the Diaoyutai Islands in China and the Senkaku Islands in Japan.